CORONA COMES CALLING



March 23rd, 2020. The day we would begin our annual holiday to spend time with our grandchildren. Eager and ecstatic beyond measure, we were very well prepared this time, having learned a few lessons from our earlier visits. But by the end of February, we started hearing rumblings and by the second week of March, we had to make an informed decision, of either postponing or cancelling this much awaited visit.

The corona virus had hit the Earth, and unlike the tsunami of 2011 or the deluge of 2015, its extent was not known. Much like a foreign invasion, we got to hear of its coming  from the TV. The origin and spread of the COVID 19 Corona virus, by now, has been  well documented. Pandemic in nature, it has already claimed an unprecedented number of lives, with hundreds and thousands infected. The recovery rate is encouraging . A possible step to check its march, lies in one hopeful action, a lockdown with social distancing. The poor bear the brunt of it, the elderly are most affected.

Life during the lockdown is one big sacrifice, yet it is being celebrated,  to keep hopes alive. Only after it is lifted completely, can any assessment be made, of the losses people and countries endured. But what of life before this terrible faceless enemy started stalking us all at once all over the globe?

Life was hot in all senses of the word. The Earth and her surroundings were hot. So were her people- angry, violent, restless. It was as if man had deleted leisure or paused the rest button. He was always on the move-pushing, shoving , honking. And finally one day, all came to a screeching halt, suddenly, without notice. Finally the Earth and the Sky were able to breathe.

At this juncture, the pro active measures of the government of India to contain the virus deserve praise. I was also happy that they decided to rerun its old TV  programmes on its national channels- Ramayana, Mahabharata, Upanishad Ganga and Chanakya, to name a few. These stories brought back the rich cultural heritage of India. Pride in her history, pride in her wisdom, pride in her values, which had sadly taken a back seat during the rat race. Thus, Noble thoughts started coming to us from every side.

Today as I wait for the lockdown period to end, I pray and look forward to an evolved humanity,  one that has learnt her lessons. One that will not pray to god for rains after cutting down trees, one that will empathise with the poor and the needy and one where the collective wisdom prevails for the good of humanity.

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